Spring Festivals and Events in Norway

Spring in Norway can be the tail end of winter or the beginning of summer, and all sorts of events and festivals take place in March, April and May.

Oslo International Church Music Festival

Oslo, March. Aiming to put together a high-quality program of church music for Norwegian audiences, this festival, which has been held annually in Oslo since 2000, is one of Norway's leading church music festivals, featuring a blend of church music ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. Concerts in Oslo churches are complemented by workshops and masterclasses. Read more about Oslo International Church Music Festival. Next: 5-17 March 2015.

Narvik Winter Festival (Vinterfestuka)

Narvik, March. Dating back to 1956, this week-long festival is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Norway. It celebrates Narvik's cultural history and particularly the construction of the Ofoten iron-ore railway (which still runs between Narvik and the Swedish border) and the railway workers who built it. The programme features concerts, exhibitions, art performances and parades, among other events, with many locals wearing period costumes for the occasion. Next: 6-14 March 2015.

Borealis Festival

Bergen, March. Contemporary experimental music and sound art are at the heart of Borealis, but the festival also features talks, films, literature and visual arts events as a contribution to the conversation about musics place in our lives. The Borealis festival features local, national and international artists and organisations, and regularly commissions and premieres new works. Next: 11-15 March 2015. Read more about The Borealis Festival.

World Cod Fishing Competition

Lofoten Islands, March. For centuries fishermen from all over Norway have been heading to the Lofoten Islands between January and March, to take part in the big Lofoten cod fisheries. During those months the big cod stocks from the Barents Sea swim south to spawn along the coast of the Lofoten Islands, and the sea is swarming with fish. While professional fishermen are out at sea making a living, teams of sports anglers from around the world gather at the World Cod Fishing Competition, attracted by the prospect of catching a record-breaking cod. Over 660 participants took part in 2012, and the biggest cod caught was a sizable 57 lbs. Read more about the World Cod Fishing Competition. Next: 20-21 March 2015.

Holmenkollen Ski Festival

Oslo, March. The highlight of the winter-sport season in Oslo, this hugely popular event dates back to 1892, and draws thousands of skiing enthusiasts (both competitors and spectators) every year to Holmenkollen, home to Oslo's famous ski jump, and Nordmarka, the big forested area north of the city centre. Ski jumping and cross-country skiing both feature on the programme, and this is a great opportunity to watch Norwegian athletes in action on home turf. The official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. Next: 13-15 March 2015.

Birkebeinerrennet

Rena to Lillehammer, March. This race, one of the oldest and most challenging long-distance cross-country races in the world, is very popular, and attracts over 16,000 participants every year. The course is 33 miles long, starting in Rena and finishing in Lillehammer. The race commemorates a trip made in 1206 by the Birkebeiner loyalists (thus called because they wore shoes made of birch bark) to save the heir to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, then one year old. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 8 lbs, symbolizing the weight of the infant. Read more about the Birkebeinerrennet. Next: 21 March 2015.

Scandinavian Ski Pride

Hemsedal, March. An annual happening where gay and lesbian people of all ages gather to have fun in the snow at Hemsedal, one of Norway's best known ski-resorts. At Scandinavian Ski Pride, you can learn how to ski or snowboard, hike to one of the peaks in the area, catch a show, or just party the days away. Next: 12-15 March 2015.

Inferno Metal Festival

Oslo, April. Norwegian black metal, an extreme sub genre of heavy metal, might not be to everybody's liking, but the genre enjoys a popular following, not least abroad. It even has its own festival, the aptly named Inferno Festival, held in Oslo every year in April, which attracts bands with names such as Mayhem, Immortal, Dark Throne etc. Read more about the Inferno Festival. Next: 1-4 April 2015.

The Easter Festival, Karasjok and Kautokeino

Easter, Finnmark. Traditionally Easter was the time of year when the reindeer-herding Sami gathered in the towns of Karasjok and Kautokeino to celebrate the end of winter. Easter was also a time for weddings. Today celebrations are still religious in character, but Easter is also a time when Sami culture takes centre stage, with many events taking place in both Karasjok and Kautokeino. The Sami Grand Prix and the annual reindeer race are two of the highlights, but other events include concerts, theater performances and exhibitions. Next: 1-4 April 2015.

Nordic Light International Festival of Photography

Kristiansund, April. Nordic Light International Festival of Photography features the elite of national and international photographers. During the festival you have the unique opportunity to meet the stars of the photographic world face-to-face at exhibitions, lectures, workshops or even down the pub. Next: 21-25 April 2015. Read more aboutNordic Light International Festival of Photography.

Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival

Kristiansand, April. This festival presents quality feature films, shorts and documentaries for children and young people, as well as seminars, workshops and presentations of new films from the Nordic countries. Many of the films shown are screened with English subtitles (or in English language), with the exception of a few films for young children, which are given live Norwegian voice-overs (but English subtitles remain). Read more about Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival. Next: 21-26 April 2015.

Norway's National Day

Nationwide, 17 May. After being ruled by Denmark for 400 years, Norway acquired its own constitution in 1814 and joined in a loose union with Sweden, which lasted until 1905. Norway's Constitution Day is celebrated to this day with parades and festivities throughout the country. Colourful processions of children with their banners, flags and bands lead the way, while everywhere people wearing the traditional costume (bunad) cheer on. The highlight of celebrations is in the capital Oslo, where huge processions descent on Karl Johans Gate, Oslo main street, on their way to see the Royal Family wave to them from the palace balcony. Read more about Norway's National Day.

Norwegian Festival of Literature

Lillehammer, May. This is the largest literature festival in the Nordic countries, whose main focus is Norwegian contemporary literature and the interaction between literature and society. Featuring best selling authors from around the world, the festival, which takes place in Lillehammer, attracted 543 authors and artists from 20 countries, and 36,514 visitors last year. Seminars, writing courses, debates, performances, exhibitions, meeting with authors, and more. Read more about Norwegian Festival of Literature. Next: 26-31 May 2015.

Bergen International Festival

Bergen, late May-early June. This festival, the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, was founded in 1953. Taking place every year over two weeks in spring, the festival presents over 150 events in the fields of music, ballet, opera, theatre, dance and the performing arts, with many of the events taking place outdoors. With its focus on Nordic Impulses, the festival also aims to be a meeting place for creative and performing artists from the Nordic countries, celebrating their diversity and differences. His Majesty King Harald V is the festival's Royal patron. The festival attracted some 60,000 visitors in 2009. Read more about Bergen International Festival. Next: 27 May-10 June 2015.

Visitnorway.com is using cookies to ensure the best service and use of this web site. The cookies will be mainly used for web traffic measurement and optimization of services. Read more about the use of cookies.